Vikings getting a lot of calls about their picks

In the old days, we’d say that the Vikings’ phone was ringing off the hook right now with teams looking to make a deal for one of their first-round picks.

Fewer and fewer calls are placed to phones that actually have hooks, so it’s probably more apt to say that their phones are vibrating out of their pockets with just over 24 hours to go before the draft gets underway in New York. However you want to paint the picture, the Vikings say they are hearing from a lot of teams right now.

“I’m telling you, it’s been the most active it’s been in a while,” Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman said, via Dan Wiederer of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. “Because of where we’re picking. And I don’t know the reason why, but there are a lot of teams that potentially are jockeying from the top of that second round and there are some teams jockeying potentially in the bottom of the first round to come up to one of our picks.”

We’d normally say this sounds like a man trying to drum up a market for one of his two first-round picks, but the placement of the two Vikings picks does make them look like a prime trade candidate. With the 23rd and 25th picks, the Vikings seem well-situated for a team that might want to deal back into the first round. There’s plenty of speculation about teams wanting to do that to get a quarterback, which could wind up setting the Vikings up with more picks this year or next to use to keep the team in the playoff position they earned last season.

Here is what I read into this. Vikings want to trade back to the top of the second round, and they want teams to think that they must offer competitive player packages to make the swap. For whatever reason the Vikes must believe that the player(s) they most covet will be available top of the 2nd round.

I’d agree, too. At the top of the second round Teo might (outside shot) still be there and there will also be a healthy number of stud WR’s available as well.

PeterKingLovesCoqAVin says:Apr 24, 2013 8:25 AM

Totally not trying to create the impression that teams want to trade back into the first round for a quarterback. Totally.

When your GM can get 3 picks for moving down 1 spot and still get the player they wanted, then you’ve got someone who knows how to play the game. Right now he’s playing it as well as any GM. This should be a great draft.

packersareandwillalwaysbebetterthanthebears says:Apr 24, 2013 8:43 AM

What team would believe this guy after Cleveland got fooled so bad last year?

sgmjerry220 says:Apr 24, 2013 8:45 AM

Stay put, move back, I don’t care as long as DeAndre Hopkins and Kevin Minter are the picks!

If the Vikes nail 2 starters, they’ll compete the the North title. GB will have double digit wins, Detroit..yeah no; & Chicago really truly believes that it might finally have a QB better than Sid Luckman even though he’s 30 and never done more than being a 1st round pick.

bobby2478 says:Apr 24, 2013 8:58 AM

Keep up the good work Rick! Vikes have been plagued by poor GM talent and poor draft player evaluation for awhile, it looks like Rick is finally righting the ship.

There are no sure-fire starters late in the first round, even if there are players with lots of talent and lots of upside. Lots of players are similarly ranked, so missing out on 1 or 2 there still might be others left that are comparable a few picks later.

They should hang tight and see if a stud DT or CB slips down that far, and if so, they could take them and trade the other pick to move back a few spots. If the main guys they wanted are gone and there are comparable replacements left later, then they could trade both picks.

We have two picks in the top 25, can we please use them instead of dumping one for some extra 2nd and 3rd picks?

bobby2478 says:Apr 24, 2013 9:05 AM

I agree, while GB has a stud QB and great receivers, they have a lot of holes to fill, not unlike the Vikings. I don’t see how the Bears D can play as good this year as they did last year, but we’ll see. The Lions are a team somewhat in disarray, so we’ll have to see how they play this year.

With another good draft, the Vikings could very easily challenge GB and possibly CHI for the North title this year. I don’t yet see the Lions as contenders, but if they fill some of the holes they had last year they could very easily be in the mix too.

Hopefully it will be an interesting year in the NFC North

djcologne says:Apr 24, 2013 9:08 AM

Whoever is picking 26th, 27th, and 28th are licking their chops in anticipation of the Vikings not getting their picks in on time….

Vike fans settle down because just like The D u 2 will come back to reality this season!! Also Lions in Disarray?? Hardly, 2 players arrested this season( 2 bums Spiviey and Lewis) we will have a better record than Bears and Vikes watch….

While I wouldn’t mind the Vikings trading back a few spots, I’d rather see them stay put unless they get a very generous offer.

The Vikings need to land a WR (hopefully Hopkins), a stud DT to eventually man Kevin Williams’ spot, a MLB and a CB. They currently have six of the top 120 picks in the draft. If they can move a few spots and land four picks within the first two rounds, I’d take it. But I’d keep the 23rd pick, and use 25 to move back a few spots.

thegrey7 says:Apr 24, 2013 9:48 AM

Too bad Mike Holmgren isn’t still a GM somewhere so Slick Rick could bamboozle him into giving up more draft picks.

They should get two starters at 23 and 25. I hope they don’t trade down unless they get a really good deal.

truthserum4u says:Apr 24, 2013 10:00 AM

I’ve been saying this for a couple of weeks now.

San Fran wants to move up and needs to get rid of some of their bazillion picks since they won’t have more than 5-6 make their squad. Philly or Buffalo may look to move up to secure the QB of their liking. Moving back to #31 & say # 39 would allow the Vikings to obtain at least one 3rd rounder this year and maybe a good draft choice next year. With the additional 3rd rounder they could address DT, LB, WR & CB early in this draft, and still have another 3rd & two 4th round picks to get a Guard, Safety and DE, and maybe double up on LB, DT or WR.

I just chose Miami cause they had 2 picks in the 2nd. They don’t need the QB of course cause they just took Tannehill

Carl Gerbschmidt says:Apr 24, 2013 10:40 AM

Kind of a shame you got two picks in the first round in what is widely viewed as historically the worst draft in NFL history! HA HA HA. Your picks might help you stay in front of the lions in the NFC North, but that’s about it!

It’s awesome that they have so many picks for a historically bad draft.

People saying “if they draft two starters” need to realize that they WILL draft two starters…for the Vikings. They probably wouldn’t start on anyone else’s team.

In the end, the Vikings overachieved last year, and will probably find 8-8 to be their best outlook for this year.

purpleguy says:Apr 24, 2013 10:48 AM

Two burning questions: (1) If all the talent is equal between picks 6-30, why trade down when you have 2 picks in that range? (2) how pathetic is the Pack fan above (whose fellow Pack fans even think is a doof) that obsessively posts on every Viking article?

I’ll enjoy 8-8, or 3-13, or 10-6, ect ect….because it’s entertainment. At the end of the day the accomplishments of others on my television does not effect my life one bit. Win or loose, life does go on…

as a ram fan I don’t have a dog in this fight but how bout a win win vikes 23 and 25 for bills #8 and 41 vikes get super high pickat #8 for say tavon Austin to replace harvin(im not totally sold on Jennings catching passes from ponder) and a very good one at 41 while the bills can get nassib at 23 and still have a high impact prospect at 25

hey purple guy you answered your own question why not trade down if top 50 picks are so close why not trade 23 for say 38 and 45 then trade 25 for 40 and like 44 2 top 25s for 4 top 50s

theytukrjobs says:Apr 24, 2013 1:39 PM

Vikes have 11 picks and really not that many holes. Yes LB and WR and slot CB each have an obvious vacancy. Yes we need DT/DE next season when 5 contracts expire and getting one now might be a good start.

But the bottom line is when you have 6 of the first 120 picks and only 3 obvious “holes” on your starting roster you shouldn’t really be looking to stockpile picks.

If they trade back it should be for future picks (which I hate as a fan), or it should be done with the intention of later trading back up. Vikings are in a position where they need QUALITY, not quantity.

Keep one of the two first round picks and get another 2nd and third round pick and let’s go!

truthserum4u says:Apr 24, 2013 9:29 PM

theytukrjobs & derekczajkowski –

The point is the quality of the players that will be available to the Vikings @ 23 & 25 is essentially the same as those through the 50s, and then not much more of a drop-off going into the third round. So if the deal is right, why not gather the same quality of player while obtaining more of the same?

I would also disagree with needing quantity. LB, DT, CB, WR, OG & S could all use starters as well as depth.

monkeyboymotors says:Apr 24, 2013 10:40 PM

oh yeah, if you can call the pack making it out of a wildcard game against a backup QB (who hadn’t been in a real game for 2+ years ) contending for a Super Bowl. Hell I need some of that cheesecrack your on!